Former teaching assistant Rachel Smith died after she overdosed on her prescribed medication - alongside drinking alcohol.

Paramedics were called after the 45-year-old was found unresponsive in bed by her partner.

But despite efforts to save her, Ms Smith was pronounced dead at hospital.

An inquest into her death, held at North Staffordshire Coroner's Court at Hartshill, heard Ms Smith was staying at her partner Peter Bacanin's Fenton home at the time of her death.

A statement from her mother, Carol Gallon, revealed that Ms Smith was a graduate of the University of Lancashire and had become a teaching assistant. However, she had suffered from a drinking problem and was no longer working.

Her brother, Russell Gallon, told the inquest: "We know she struggled with the fact that she couldn't have children. There was a split with her husband and it has escalated since then. She didn't seem to be able to get over everything."

North Staffordshire Coroner's Court, Hartshill

The inquest heard Ms Smith had started a relationship with Mr Bacanin and had been staying at his home since shortly before Christmas 2017.

In a statement, Mr Bacanin said she seemed to be increasing her alcohol intake, and would drink wine, vodka and brandy.

On March 1, he said he thought she had been drinking throughout the previous night. Mr Bacanin had been to pick up her prescribed medication - which included liquid morphine - relating to her various health problems.

She died at her partner's home in Leeds Street, Fenton

At around 10pm, Ms Smith had laid out her medication in the kitchen at the Leeds Street property. Mr Bacanin said she told him, 'I haven't taken any for a week. I'm going to make up for it'. He described seeing her take three days dosage from one box and take a 'swig' from the bottle of morphine.

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Tests carried out after he death revealed that she had a blood alcohol level of 104 milligrams - the drink drive limit is 80 - and various medication was found in her system.

A pathologist recorded the cause of Ms Smith's death as a morphine overdose exacerbated by alcohol consumption. A report for the coroner said: "The major risk to life arising from the use of morphine is its depressant effect on the central nervous system which causes respiratory depression."

Deputy coroner Anthony Curzon recorded that Ms Smith's death was drug-related. He said: "On March 1 she was witnessed taking more than her recommended dose of her regular medication. She was discovered in bed unresponsive at 11.45pm by her partner, who called an ambulance.